Arkansas Released Inaccurate School Grade Spreadsheet
State officials removed an unlocked public file after sorting errors caused data discrepancies for local schools.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Secondary Education
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On September 17, 2026, the Arkansas Department of Education published an unlocked spreadsheet that displayed inaccurate letter grades for state schools. The file was removed after officials identified that sorting the data caused information to disconnect from the correct school rows.
Why it matters
The accidental release of mismatched data raised concerns regarding the transparency and reliability of state-issued performance metrics for local communities. Officials confirmed that the error only affected the shared spreadsheet, as official records distributed to administrators remained correct.
The state uses the Arkansas Teaching and Learning Assessment System for students in grades 3-10 to determine school grades. Criteria include student performance in math, science, and English, with additional weight given to graduation rates for high schools.
The players
Arkansas Department of Education
This state agency oversees public school operations and maintains the academic performance metrics used across the state.
The details
The Department of Education created the spreadsheet to compile performance data for public and charter schools into a single document. An unidentified user was able to sort the columns, which shifted the data without updating the corresponding row information, leading to the reported discrepancies.
Timeline
September 17, 2026: The Department of Education posted the spreadsheet.
October 8, 2026: State officials acknowledged the spreadsheet error.
Roadmap
The state continues to refine the use of the Arkansas Teaching and Learning Assessment System to provide transparency in district performance. This incident highlights the technical hurdles in publicizing data generated by this system while maintaining strict accuracy for school stakeholders.
Parents and local community members should verify school performance reports exclusively through the official state portal. Relying on unofficial or downloadable files could lead to incorrect assumptions regarding individual school performance and growth.
The takeaway
Reliable data is essential for families making educational decisions for their children. Always prioritize information from official state portals to ensure the metrics you use reflect the most accurate and verified performance data.
Further reading
For more information on state performance metrics, visit the Secondary Education page.
More information
Access accurate school reports at the Arkansas school performance information portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ArkansasOnline.
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